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Session 3
Slouching Towards Sloobludop When The evening of 4 Kythorn to the evening of 9 Kythorn. Who Our party, Kaia Brightwood, Nespip Glitterleaf, Ralkor (no last name), and Sebastian Joab, along with seven other escapees from Velkynvelve--Buppido, Derendil, Eldeth, Jimjar, Ront, Shuushar, and Stool. Where The wilds of the Underdark, somewhere between Velkynvelve and Sloobludop. What The party settles in for the night, with Stool snuggling up close to Nespip, scared after the day’s fighting. The following morning Shuushar speaks to Sebastian, extolling the virtues of pacifism. Sebastian is unconvinced. Shuushar also mentions that they should reach the Silken Paths, a vast crevasse crisscrossed by spider silk, sometime today. Nespip decides that he will try scouting ahead and is the first to see the Silken Path as the road ahead opens into a void, large enough that Nespip can’t see across or the bottom. Yuk Yuk and Spiderbait, two goblins who apparently live nearby, see him before he sees them and offer to guide him across the Paths, for a fee. Nespip agrees and the party starts across. Sebastian is about to use his Light cantrip so Kaia can see how to cross but Yuk Yuk is against it, saying it will attract spiders. Kaia is forced to travel on the webs through the pitch dark. The group encounters a mimic disguised as a treasure chest, which they defeat with only minor amounts of Nespip almost dying, and a spectator. The spectator insists that the party is in his master’s basement and they need to leave, resulting in confusion on both sides. Ultimately they are required to fight the spectator, who nearly kills Kaia before being defeated. The party makes it to the tunnels to Sloobludp without further incident. That night the group (except Sebastian) experiences terrible nightmares of creatures lurking in the dark, sibilant whispers, and creeping dread. Sebastian instead sees a hulking monstrosity from a distance in combat with a shining figure of light before falling into a peaceful sleep. The following morning some of what Kaia’s mentor taught her begins to make sense. Always in tune with the natural magic of the world, Kaia senses that same natural magic here in the Underdark, which is after all just another kind of wilderness. She uses it to sharpen her vision while simultaneously understanding how to avoid the sight of underdark natives. Nespip, meanwhile, has decided that the time has come to swear the oaths of his order, finally accepting his role as protector of his people.' ' The day otherwise passes uneventfully. Kaia uses her newfound powers to stop being a burden on the party and scout ahead. Foraging by the rest of the group is quite successful, resulting in several days stockpile of food. The following day the group decides to pick up the pace, relying on the stockpiled food and Sebastian’s ability to create water. Buppido talks to Kaia that morning, telling her that he saw Derendil stalking Jimjar “with a hungry look in his eye” while others were foraging the day prior. Kaia, concerned that Derendil may be losing his elven mind to his bestial body, clues in Sebastian, Ralkor, Nespip, and Jimjar. Jimjar is sceptical--he didn’t see anything suspicious--and the party decides to take a wait and see approach. Buppido says he will talk to Shuushar and see if he wants to try teaching his “pacifism nonsense” to Derendil.' ' That night Sebastian is visited in his dreams by Valadras, his angelic guide. He appears battered, bruised, and tired. Valadras tells Sebastian that his purpose is approaching and he can no longer protect him. The angel apologises, saying that he should have done more to prepare Sebastian for the trials ahead and that he fears Sebastian and his new companions aren’t ready for what they face. Sebastian asks what is coming and Valadras cannot answer, saying that there are rules and he has already interfered too much. The following day is again uneventful, beyond Shuushar trying to convert Derendil to pacifism, which does seem to interest him. The next day the party enters what Shuushar calls the South Warrens, tunnels just south of Sloobludop. Still moving at a fast pace, Shuushar thinks they will reach the town before the day is over. Unfortunately they are attacked by a group of 9 kuo-toa shortly after. They are lead by a tough, vicious, hand-to-hand fighter who directs the others to capture, not kill, the party. Once that leader falls, however, the rest of the kuo-toa flee. Shuushar is troubled; his people are not exactly welcoming to outsiders but he did not expect this level of violence. ' Kaia scouts ahead, hoping to foil any further ambushes. She quickly comes across another group of kuo-toa who appear to be finishing off the runners from the group they just fought. She shouts out from the darkness, asking to speak with Ploopploopeen. The leader of the group steps forward and identifies himself as Ploopploopeen and demands Kaia reveal herself. She returns to the group and leads them to Ploopploopeen. He explains that he is the Archpriest of the Sea Mother, Blipdoolpoolp. His daughter, Bloppblippodd, has abandoned the Sea Mother and now worships a new god, the Deep Father Leemooggoogoon and has engaged in dark rituals like blood sacrifice. The kuo-toa of Sloobludop are now divided into two factions, close to civil war. At this point everybody is pretty goddamn sick of kuo-toa names.' ' ' Ploopploopeen asks that the travellers help him get close to his daughter by posing as sacrifices. Once his forces and Bloppblippodd’s forces are brought together they will turn on her and wipe out the followers of the Deep Father. The group agrees in exchange for transport to Gracklstugh and supplies. Ploopploopeen leads them into Sloobludop and to his domicile near the Shrine to the Sea Mother.' ' After only an hour all are led to the Deep Father’s altar, a horrible construction of dead sea animals, stained with blood from sacrifices. Bloppblippodd greets her father with pleasure, believing that he has truly turned to Leemooggoogoon. A deep dwarf is brought forth by her forces, apparently to also be sacrificed. Kuo-toa townsfolk gather around, some watching from the nearby bay. As Bloppblippodd prepares to make the first sacrifice Ploopploopeen strikes. The two factions attack each other and seem evenly matched, however the party holds up their end of the bargain, attacking Bloppblippodd. With Ploopploopeen’s followers keeping hers at bay she is badly outnumbered. She calls upon the powers granted by the Deep Father but is no match alone for the party and Ploopploopeen. During the fight some of the kuo-toa in the Darklake are pulled under, replaced by spreading pools of blood. Panic begins to spread amongst the citizenry, most of whom fled when fighting broke out. Kaia is able to land the final blow that kills Bloppblippodd, piercing her throat and dropping her atop her altar. She dies with a final, whispered, “Leemooggoogoon…”''' ''' In the Darklake, perhaps a hundred feet from shore, the water roils as a huge monster surfaces. Thick oily bifurcated tentacles in place of arms, two heads similar to a baboons, hideous scaly legs below an apelike torso--it seems the Deep Father has arrived. His very presence can be felt like a blow to the psyche. Sebastian, steeped in religious lore from birth, recognizes the creature as Demogorgon, Prince of Demons, a being with power rivalling lesser gods. He is unable to communicate this to his companions however before his sanity is shattered and he drops to the ground, insensate. Simultaneously Ralkor begins to scream and shows no sign of stopping while Nespip begins to hallucinate. Many of the nearby kuo-toa drop to their knees, chanting “Leemooggoogoon!” In the lake Demogorgon begins to make his way towards shore, crushing any kuo-toa unlucky enough to be within his reach. Why Why is Demogorgon here? Did Bloppblippodd summon him? Was he already in the Underdark and only made his way here because he heard her calls? Why would a DM throw a demon lord at a level 3 party? Is that seriously what the book says happens? Find out (maybe) next time!